Electric mercury switch



y 30, 1940- E. CORNELLA I 2,209,645

' ELECTRIC MERCURY SWITCH Filed March 6, 1959 Carmella INVENTOR. BY M ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,209, I 7 I ELECTRICMERCURY swrron Emanuel Cornella, Lombard, 111. Application March a,1939, Serial'NoL'ZGOJSS 2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly toelectric wall switches of the mercury type.

An important object of the invention is to provide an electric switchwhich will be absolutely noiseless, gas-proof, and one which may bemanufactured at an exceptionally low cost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch of thischaracter which embodies a-minimum number of moving parts, to the endthat the switch will be exceptionally dependable in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and.arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention,

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a switch constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the switch.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the movable mercurychamber of the switch.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the switch comprises a housingindicated generally by the reference character 5, which housing includesthe wall plate 6 which forms one end of the housing, and which isdesigned to cover the usual receptacle opening of a wall.

As shown, the wall plate 6 is formed with an elongated opening 1 for thereception of the finger piece 8 of the switch body or mercury chamberindicated at 9.

The body portion 9, is constructed of suitable insulating material suchas glass or porcelain, and as shown is substantially triangular information, the apex of the body portion being disposed upwardly, asclearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawing.

A partition indicated at IU divides the body portion or mercury chamberinto lateral chambers, the partition being formed with an opening H nearthe lower end thereof, establishing communication between the mercurychambers or compartments formed by the partition 10. The bottoms of thecompartments o'r mercury chambers, are closed by means of the contactplates l2 which have downwardly extended contact members I3 formed withclips M at the free ends thereof. The clips M are mounted on the shaftsl5 and frictionally engage the shafts, to permit rotary movement of theclips and body portion 9 with respect to the shafts l5.

These shafts l5, which extend inwardly from the side plates of thehousing, are insulated from the housing and are secured to the sideplates of the housing by means of the nuts I 6, the adjacent inner endsof the shafts being spaced apart, to permit the rib l1, extending alongthe bottom of the body portion, to be positioned between the shafts l5,insulating the shafts from each other.

Connecting the rear ends of the side plates of the housing 5, is a barI9 which is provided with an inwardly extended lug 20' over which oneend of the coiled spring 2| is positioned, the opposite end of thecoiled spring being positioned over the lug 22 extending from the rearend of the rib ll of the body portion 9. Thus it will be seen that dueto this construction, when the finger piece 8 is operated to tilt thebody portion or mercury chamber 9 rearwardly as shown in dotted lines inFigure 1 of the drawing, the end of the coiled spring 2! engaging thelug 22, will be moved past dead center, holding the body portion ormercury chamber 9 in its tilted position. As the body portion or mercurychamber 9 is moved downwardly, the body portion 9 is tilted forwardly.The end of the coiled spring contacting with lug 22 now swings upwardlypast dead center exerting a pressure on the body portion 9 to hold thebody portion in this position.

When the body portion 9 is tilted forwardly, it is obvious that themercury in the chambers of the body portion 9, and which is indicated bythe reference character 23, flows through the opening H, completing acircuit through the mercury, and through the contact members 13, clips14, shaft I5 to the wires 24, which are in circuit with an electricaldevice, not shown.

When the mercury switch or body portion 9 is moved to its rearwardtilted position, the mrcury will of course flow to the rear ends of thecompartments of the body portion 9, breaking the circuit.

In view of the foregoing detail description, it is believed that afurther description as to the operation of the device is unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

1. A mercury switch comprising a support, shafts on the support and towhich wires of an electric circuit are connected, the adjacent ends ofthe shafts being spaced apart, a hollow body portion constructed ofinsulating material pivotally mounted on the shafts, a partitiondividing the body portion into lateral compartments, said compartmentsadapted to contain mercury, contact plates forming the bottoms of thecompartments and on which the mercury rests, contact clips connectedwith the bottoms of the compartments and fitted over the shaftspivotally mounting the hollow body portion on the shafts and completingcircuits to the shafts, said partition having an opening in the loweredge thereof establishing communication between the compartments, andthe mercury in the compartments adapted to flow through the openingcompleting an electric circuit when the body portion is tilted in onedirection.

2. A mercury switch comprising a support, shafts on the support and towhich wires of an electric circuit are connected, the adjacent ends ofthe shafts being spaced apart, a hollow body portion constructed ofinsulating material, pivotally mounted on said shaft, a partitiondividing the body portion into lateral compartments adapted to containmercury, said partition extending between the adjacent ends of theshaft, insulating the shafts from each other, contact members formingthe bottoms of the compartment, clips on the contact members and adaptedto be fitted around said shaft, pivotally connecting the body portion tothe shafts, said partition having an opening above the-bottoms of thecompartments establishing communication between the compartments,whereby the mercury may flow from one compartment to the othercompleting a circuit, and said body portion adapted to be tilted in sucha Way to cause the mercury to flow to one end of the body portionbreaking the circuit.

EMANUEL CORNELLA.

